Monday, June 09, 2008

Our turn?

3. Was put in a difficult situation and felt had to resign from much loved stage school after seven years as Principal, and have lost that income as a result.

4. Have managed to do all the things that I was cross with my mother for doing as a teenager and have therefore managed to cause a "situation" in relationship with ED.

5. Have run so badly out of money that we now have to borrow all the children's money to fuel the car just to get to work and eat.............. and have now just about used up all their funds too in a vain attempt to keep those miserable so and so s (who steal our money in bank charges anyway) at the bank and various other people happy. ("You really do have to learn to keep better control of your finances Mrs. Lomax." Yes, well I would.... if you didn't take your exorbitant cut. Just you wait Mr.Bank Manager. When I'm rich, you will know about it, and I won't be banking with you.)

6. Have been miserable for so long now that I now seem to fail dismally most of the time in getting Hubby to see things from my point of view.

7. Have failed completely in trying to find a babysitter for a day in July for the two youngest. A babysitter who would be able to drive them around the country to their various commitments that is. This was so that we could go to the Henley Regatta. A rare social occasion that we had been invited to by lovely long standing some of best friends in the world. So are now likely to upset said friends as have shambolically managed to mess up their arrangements as well as ours. Plus, even if we now found a babysitter we have such limited shekels currently that we wouldn't even be able to buy a round of drinks when we did get there.

8. Have failed to read any blogs for weeks or months, and so am now likely to have upset my virtual buddies too.

9. Have lost all sense of humour and ability to be funny, so can no longer have a career as a comedienne.

10. Have failed yet again to get off that excess three stone during the winter and so now even Hubby thinks I'm fat.

11. Have got a nice maternity cover in a really nice school, but have realised that I am too old to be a career teacher and am still not sure that that is what I want anyway, which is why I wasn't, aren't and haven't been to date. Also the school is 38 miles away, so although nice it takes far too much in ridiculously overpriced fuel.

12. On the fuel note, have managed to have my bank card rejected on three occasions at fuel stations, having filled up.

First time: cried and shouted at the bank, on my mobile phone, in the middle of the garage, asking them to refund offending bank charges which had caused lack of much needed funds on that particular day.

Second time, different garage: kept calm, and, when the cashier refused point blank to put through £67 on the card - the only available funds, and the other 66p in cash I insisted.

Calmly.

"Can you not get someone to pay for you?" He said.

At 38 miles from home, and 100 miles from any other family, quite frankly, the answer was no. I HAVE the money here I said. £67 on my card. 66 pence in cash. "There is no need to get stroppy with me Madam. We are simply unable to split the payment." Heckles rising slightly I firmly pointed him in the direction of the supervisor, who came back and allowed him to allow me to pay by manual payment. "You'll have to wait here though, so that I can check that it has been accepted by the bank. We will ring the bank to check that there are sufficient funds." He sneered at me.

I waited, patiently.

Another customer came and went.

Still I waited.

"Yes Madam?" he said.

Suddenly, the moment reminded me of "Dory" in Finding Nemo.

"I'm waiting to see if that money has cleared I explained in my 'patient but feeling slightly tested' voice. "Oh yes." He said. It has. "You're free to go."

There were lots of things I felt like saying. LOTS. I didn't. I simply withdrew, embarrassed and upset. I kept my dignity and then burst into tears in the car.

Third time was due to our wonderful British Banking system who believe they have the right to have the cheques that I pay into my account in their account for a few days first. It makes sense of course. It's another way for them to make a few quick million a day. Well not on my funds you understand.... but on the collective majority of funds. They will probably have made a million or two in bank charges to me though, by the time I die.....

So... back to the - third - petrol station... (That's gas for all you over there in the other side of the Atlantic. And actually I usually buy diesel anyway if we were to call a spade a spade.... But we aren't of course talking about spades. We are talking about fuel.)

I put my card through. "Sorry" said the cashier. "Insufficient funds." "No." I said. "There are definitely sufficient funds." I rang the bank. The cheque that had those sufficient funds was still being looked after by them. How kind...

"Can I write a cheque?" I asked.

"No Madam, we don't accept cheques."

"But, you see, the money is in the account, and if I write a cheque, by the time it gets to the bank, the money will be there, cleared, for you."

"It is company policy Madam. We don't accept cheques."

Fortunately, this time, it was a smaller amount. I gave them the sum total of the remaining cleared funds, and scraped around my purse, bottom of my handbag and bottom of the car and for an extra few pounds cash. I left, red faced and upset again.... with a promise of the remaining £5 to be brought to them by the following day.... once the funds had been released by the bank. And the children ate gruel again..... Well OK.... no, but not far off....

On the positive side:

I do now have a proper acting agent, as of today. I got my Equity card (British Actor's Union) ten year's ago. So at that rate I might get an audition for a soap in about 2020 or thereabouts....

21 comments:

ah, sally, enidd knows exactly how you feel. isn't awful when not just one thing goes wrong, but thing after thing, until you feel you'll never be out of this mess.

just like you, enidd is hard up (no job for the man yet) and fat. why does she always resort to eating and drinking when she's stressed - it doesn't help long term.

don't *ever* worry about losing your virtual friends - we understand that real life happens. enidd wishes she were nearer to share a very non-virtual bottle of red with you - and help your social plans.

I am really sorry you've been having such a rotten time. I've been checking in from time to time, and wondered what was happening. I don't know how much a stone is, but if it means extra weight, that certainly doesn't feel good dragging it around. I hope the job situation improves soon. And please keep us up to date--we care.

Oh... Thank you Norma. a stone is 3lb. So 3 stone is 42 lb. I could probably get away with just losing 21 lb, but for vanity I would prefer to be less than that.... but that is possibly not realistic.... It would be useful though to get off the 21 lb.

Dearest old Sal,Ah the old insufficient funds thing. Has happened to us every month for four months now. Twice in Morrisons, once in Somerfield and once getting petrol.As for being fat - well get to being clinically obese - as I was - although being almost six foot, whilst very well padded, never actually looked as though I waddled - and they give you slimming pills. Have lost a stone and a half in three weeks!!! Just eat a few more chips and go and see your doctor.So glad to hear from you again, I was beginning to feel lonely and surrounded my Americans! Here's to a good summer. Much love xxx

Bloody hell Sally, I didn't realise how crappy you're feeling! Please ring when you've time. You know if I'm in,I'm up for a coffee/chat and my shoulder is always with me if you need it. I'm so sorry that I can't help with the Henley Regatta thing. Trust the sister-in-law to get married on the same day! RING ME!x

Ah, how well I remember, and my heart goes out to you. When I was your age some 30 years ago, pregnant with my 7th child, husband going through his "amok time", creditors calling every day, surly teenagers and poor health--I don't know how I got through it, but I want you to know that things DO get better. In fact, when it seems there is nothing but darkness, suddenly the sunshine returns, and the lessons learned during the dark time make the good times even sweeter. While you wait, use your acting skills. Decide how you want your life to be, and then ACT as if it already is. If you MUST fret, carve out a two hour period of your day, and squeeze all your dispair into that block of time. Cry, gnash your teeth, growl, throw a plu-perfect fit if you must (in private, of course). The rest of the time, be Mrs. Miniver. You will be surprised when you suddenly realize that things have gotten better.Use your National Health Service to be sure your health is OK, and get some anti-depressents if you need them. I'll be thinking of you, and sending positive thoughts your way.Judith

Hello Sally. I am sorry to read about all your difficulties. I do hope that the combination of your agent and your Equity card will turn into some useful work. I also hope that your other difficulties will improve. Many hugs. I am also sorry to be such a poor reader and to have taken all this time to write a comment.

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About Me

Sally's writing is about being a mother of five, now all too grown up, children, (four girls, one boy) a husband, a dog, and a serious ambition to be a mortgage free and famous actress, voice over artist, broadcaster, writer and teacher.

The "Cast" List for the blog includes:

Sally

Hubby - Her husband,

ED - Eldest Daughter,

ESOS - Eldest son only son,

Sensible - Second daughter,

Gymnast - Third daughter,

Tinkerbell Mushroom - Youngest daughter and youngest child,

Mad Dog - AKA Lucy - the border collie.

Guest appearances by MIL (mother in law), parents, two brothers, inlaws, nephews, nieces and great nephew.